Honorific-Prefix: | The Right Honourable |
Philip J. Pierre | |
Honorific-Suffix: | MP |
Order: | 9th |
Office: | Prime Minister of Saint Lucia |
Governor-General: | Neville Cenac Errol Charles (acting) |
Deputy: | Ernest Hilaire[1] |
Term Start: | 28 July 2021[2] |
Predecessor: | Allen Chastanet |
Office2: | Leader of the Opposition of Saint Lucia |
Term Start2: | 18 June 2016 |
Term End2: | 28 July 2021 |
Predecessor2: | Kenny Anthony |
Successor2: | Allen Chastanet |
Office3: | Member of Parliament for Castries East |
Term Start3: | 24 May 1997 |
Predecessor3: | Romanus Lansiquot |
Birth Name: | Philip Joseph Pierre |
Birth Date: | 18 September 1954 |
Birth Place: | Saint Lucia, British Windward Islands |
Party: | Saint Lucia Labour Party |
Alma Mater: | University of the West Indies |
Office4: | Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy |
Term Start4: | 5 August 2021 [3] |
Philip Joseph Pierre[4] (born 18 September[5] 1954) is a Saint Lucian politician currently serving as the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia since 28 July 2021. Pierre serves as the Minister for Finance, Economic Development and the Youth Economy.[6] He is the Leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party since 18 June 2016. He has represented the Castries East constituency in the House of Assembly since 1997.[7] [8] [9]
Pierre previously served as Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Financial Services from 1997 to 2000; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Port Services and Transport from 2011 to 2016; and as Leader of the Opposition from 2016 to 2021.
Pierre's mother Evelyn was a schoolteacher, and his father Auguste[10] was a policeman.[11] He studied at Saint Mary's College, then completed a BA (hons) in accounts and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the West Indies. After graduation, he taught at Saint Mary's College and worked as a trainee manager at J.Q. Charles Ltd. Pierre then entered the finance industry: he worked as an audit clerk at Coopers & Lybrand and Pannell Kerr Forster, and as a financial controller at Stanthur Co. Ltd.
From 1985 to 1994, Pierre was the Director of the National Research and Development Corporation. He was also Chief Executive of his own management consultancy firm, Philip J. Pierre Business Services Ltd., from 1990 to 1997.
Pierre joined the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) in 1985, and served as the party treasurer from 1986 to 1992. In 1992, he contested the general elections for the first time in Castries East, but did not win.[12] After serving as the SLP chairman from 1992 to 1996, Pierre ran again in 1997 and won. In the resulting SLP government led by Kenny Anthony, Pierre served as Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and International Financial Services from 1997 to 2000.
Pierre was re-elected to the House of Assembly from Castries East in the general elections of 2001, 2006, and 2011. In December 2011, he was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Port Services, and Transportation.[13] Pierre retained his seat in the 2016 general election, but the SLP lost the election. Kenny Anthony resigned as party leader; Pierre was then elected as his successor on 18 June 2016. He also became the Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition.[14]
Pierre is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). He also joined the Assembly of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians, attending its inaugural 1996 meeting in Barbados.
Pierre led the SLP in the 2021 general election, where the party won a majority of seats. He was sworn in as Prime Minister of Saint Lucia on 28 July 2021.[15]
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